Musical performances during a journey on the river Sind

The author travels with a jurist on the river Sind and describes how musicians were always present during a journey and often performed to accompany different moments.

وكان للفقيه علاء الملك في جملة مراكبه مركب يُعْرَف بالأهورة (بفتح الهمزة والهاء، وسكون الواو، وفتح الراء)، وهي نوع من الطريدة عندنا، إلَّا أنها أوسع منها وأقصر، وعلى نصفها معرش من خشب يصعد له على درج، وفوقه مجلس مهيأ لجلوس الأمير، ويجلس أصحابه بين يديه، ويقف المماليك يمنة ويسرة والرجال يقذفون — وهم نحو أربعين — ويكون مع هذه الأهورة أربعة من المراكب عن يمينها ويسارها اثنان منها فيهما مراتب الأمير، وهي العلامات والطبول والأبواق والأنفار والصرنايات، وهي الغيطات، والآخران فيهما أهل الطرب فتضرب الطبول والأبواق نوبة ويُغَنِّي المُغَنُّون نوبة، ولا يزالون كذلك من أول النهار إلى وقت الغداء، فإذا كان وقت الغداء انضمت المراكب ووصل بعضها ببعض، ووضعت بينهما الإصقالات وأتى أهل الطرب إلى أهورة الأمير، فيغنون إلى أن يفرغ من أكله ثمَّ يأكلون، وإذا انقضى الأكل عادوا إلى مركبهم وشرعوا — أيضًا — في المسير على ترتيبهم إلى الليل، فإذا كان الليل ضربت المحلة على شاطئ النهر ونزل الأمير إلى مضاربه ومدَّ السماط، وحضر الطعام معظم العسكر، فإذا صلوا العشاء الأخيرة سمر السمار بالليل نوبًا، فإذا أتمَّ أهل النوبة منهم نوبتهم نادى مناد منهم بصوت عال، يا خوند ملك قد مضى من الليل كذا من الساعات، ثمَّ يسمر أهل النوبة الأخرى، فإذا أتموها نادى مناديهم أيضًا، معلمًا بما مرَّ من الساعات، فإذا كان الصبح ضربت الأبواق والطبول وصليت صلاة الصبح وأتى بالطعام، فإذا فرغ الأكل أخذوا في المسير، فإن أراد الأمير ركوب النهر ركب على ما ذكرناه من الترتيب، وإن أراد المسير في البر ضُرِبَت الأطبال والأبواق، وتَقَدَّم حُجَّابه ثمَّ تلاهم المَشَّاءون بين يديه، ويكون بين أيدي الحجاب ستة من الفرسان عند ثلاثة منهم أطبال قد تقلدوها، وعند ثلاثة صرنايات فإذا أقبلوا على قرية، أو ما هو من الأرض مرتفع، ضربوا تلك الأطبال والصرنايات، ثمَّ تُضْرَب أطبال العسكر وأبواقه ويكون عن يمين الحجاب ويسارهم المغنون يغنون نوبًا، فإذا كان وقت الغداء نزلوا [ص. ٢٨٦]

The jurist 'Alāʾ al-Mulk had amongst his vessels one called by the name of ahawra, somewhat like a ṭarīda in our country, but broader and shorter. In the centre of it there was a wooden cabin to which one climbed up by steps, and on the top of this there was a place prepared for the governor to sit in. His suite sat in front of him and the mamlūks stood to right and left, while the crew of about forty men rowed. Accompanying the ahawra were four vessels to right and left, two of which carried the governor's 'honours', i.e. standards, kettledrums [ṭubūl], coiled trumpets [abwāq], straight trumpets [anfār] and zurnas [ṣurnāyāt] (that is ghaitas [ġayṭāt]), and the other two carried singers [ahl al-ṭarab]. First the drums [ṭubūl] and trumpets [abwāq] would be sounded [nawba] and then the musicians [muġannūn] would sing [yuġannūn] [nawba], and they kept this up alternately from early morning to the hour of the midday meal. When this moment arrived the ships came together and closed up with one another and gangways were placed from one to the other. The musicians [ahl al-ṭarab] then came on board the governor's ahawra and sang [yuġannūn] until he finished eating, when they had their meal and at the end of it returned to their vessel. They then set off again on their journey in the manner described until nightfall. When it became dark, the camp was set up on the bank of the river, the governor disembarked and went to his tents, the repast was spread and most of the troops joined in the meal. After the last evening prayer, sentries were posted for the night in reliefs. As each relief finished its tour of duty one of them cried in a loud voice 'O lord king, so many hours of the night are past.' Then the next relief would come on duty, and when it finished its tour, their spokesman also called out to give notice of how many hours had passed. At dawn the trumpets [abwāq] and drums [ṭubūl] sounded and the dawn prayer was said, then food was brought, and when the meal was finished they resumed their journey. If the governor wishes to travel on the river he travels on shipboard in the order which we have described. If he wishes to travel on land [the order of march is as follows]. The drums [aṭbāl] and trumpets [abwāq] are sounded and his ḥujjābs take the lead; they are followed next by the foot-soldiers, preceding the governor himself. In front of the ḥujjābs ride six horsemen, three of whom carry drums [aṭbāl] slung round their necks, and three with zurnas [ṣurnāyāt]. When they approach a village or an elevation in the ground, these six sound their drums [aṭbāl] and zurnas [ṣurnāyāt] and are followed by the drums [aṭbāl] and trumpets [abwāq] of the main body. To the right and left of the ḥujjābs are the singers [muġannūn], who sing [yuġannūn] alternately, but when the hour of the midday meal comes the whole body encamps.

600-602

1334 circa